Caldwell J, Gaminiratne K H, Caldwell P, de Silva S, Caldwell B, Weeraratne N, Silva P
Stud Fam Plann. 1987 Jan-Feb;18(1):1-21.
Among the countries of South Asia, Sri Lanka, with a birth rate of 26 per 1,000, has achieved by far the lowest fertility level. The research reported here shows that at least half of all fertility control there is still practiced by means other than those offered by the national family planning program. This paper reports on an investigation carried out by the Sri Lankan Department of Census and Statistics, employing a micro-approach to demographic research, on the levels of "traditional" methods of family planning and attitudes toward the practice of both modern and traditional contraception. It is shown that knowledge of rhythm was diffused throughout society as the cost of raising children increased during a period when other methods of family planning were not easily accessible. These traditional methods were employed efficiently and their high level of continued use arises from strong cultural resistance to the pill and IUD, based upon local interpretations of how these methods function. Thus, any programmatic effort to reduce dependence on traditional family planning might well result in higher fertility levels. In addition, low fertility among Indian Tamil workers on the Tea Estates, as early as the 1950s, probably resulted from a desire (manifested by lower levels of sexual activity and some abortion) to avoid frequent pregnancies, since pregnancy interrupts work that the female Estate workers cannot afford to miss.
在南亚国家中，斯里兰卡的出生率为每千人26例，是目前生育率最低的国家。此处报道的研究表明，该国至少一半的生育控制措施仍采用国家计划生育项目所提供方法之外的手段。本文报道了斯里兰卡人口普查与统计局开展的一项调查，该调查采用微观人口研究方法，研究“传统”计划生育方法的使用水平以及对现代和传统避孕措施的态度。研究表明，随着抚养孩子成本的增加，在其他计划生育方法不易获取的时期，安全期避孕法的知识在全社会得到了传播。这些传统方法得到了有效运用，其高持续使用率源于基于对这些方法作用的当地理解而产生的对避孕药和宫内节育器的强烈文化抵制。因此，任何旨在减少对传统计划生育依赖的计划性努力很可能会导致更高的生育率。此外，早在20世纪50年代，茶叶种植园的印度泰米尔工人生育率较低，可能是因为他们希望（表现为较低的性活动水平和一些堕胎行为）避免频繁怀孕，因为怀孕会中断女性种植园工人不能错过的工作。
